The Origin of Shadow the Hedgehog
by Charmy Electra
Summary: Shadow has often wondered about who he is and where he comes from. In this story, the truth of his past shall be revealed to him. Once he knows the truth, will he continue to serve his master or will he do whats' right.
1. Chapter 1 The Awakening

**Another character I've been fascinated with is the black and red hedgehog that shares the all too familiar silhouette of our favorite hero Sonic. Of course I'm speaking of Shadow the Hedgehog. I find the mysteries of his past intriguing, so I decided to write my idea of his story. I hope you all will enjoy reading about…. **

The Origin of Shadow the Hedgehog

Chapter One

"The Awakening"

"Who am I….and why can't I remember anything?" Shadow tried to remember his past as he hovered over a red planet. "All I know is my name and that I work for Black Doom, everything else is a mystery."

Traveling the universe alone has given him lots of time to think. He looked around at the vastness of it all. "Space…my home. Who else is as lucky as I who can travel the galaxies? To watch stars being born…and dying? To see the universe and all it's glory? And yet… I feel confused, uncertain. Where do I come from….why do I serve?"

He had the ability to travel from planet to planet in search of the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow had no idea of why his master needed such things but search for them he must.

Searching took him from planet to planet with little luck. Whenever Shadow found a planet that contained high levels of energy, he would give the signal for his master to come. Black Doom would invade and consume the planets' energy and everything that inhabit it.

Here Shadow found himself once again giving the signal of yet another planet for his master to invade. Out of the skies came the black creatures, calling themselves the Black Arms. The mysterious alien army by their sheer numbers and power would leave a path of destruction in their quest to overtake the universe.

As Shadow looked on, the planet was engulfed in fire and explosions as the Black Arms tattooed their presence in red. He continued to watch as space ships would take off from the planet in attempt to escape the intrusion. "Time after time I have observed wanderers forced from their homes, having to leave their planet in order to escape the black arms as they invade and destroy, yet never does the sight cease to be a bitter one. Why does it cause me so much pain and confusion to see these creatures suffer?"

As he continued to watch the total destruction, a dark diabolic creature arose from the ashes, their leader, Black Doom.

Shadow gazed upon his master and remembered back to the day he first recalled meeting Black Doom while floating in space in suspended animation. It seemed ironic that this meeting was as far back as he could recall. He remembered as if it was yesterday. Black Doom had freed and spoke to him as if he knew him.

"_Shadow…I have brought you back from the abyss for I have great need of the powers you possess. You were created with the ability to seek out high energy life forms. There are emeralds that possess great power. These Chaos Emeralds, have been scattered to a world somewhere in this infinite universe. And I need you to help me find them! I will bestow upon you a source of my own power. Cosmic bolts of awesome power shall be yours to behold." Shadow remembered the intense heat surging through his body, and yet, felt no pain. Black Doom continued, "And now, neither the frigid cold of the deepest space nor the blazing heat of the closest nova shall harm your shielded body. Even your own mind will be a page for which I shall write! I shall give you the means to travel faster than the fastest star ship, so that you may soar to the ends of the universe and beyond. The day of reckoning will soon be here!"_

_Shadow could feel the energy flowing into his body, into his soul. He could feel the ultimate power increasing inside of him. "Master, I am ready to serve…"_

_Black Doom spoke, an evil grin across his face, "Good, now go forth Shadow, with all the power I have given you. Find the Seven Chaos Emeralds and bring them to me!"_

_Perplexed by the dark figure who somehow knew him by name, Shadow was left wondering what clues Black Doom held to his past and what was meant by "the day of reckoning."_

Back to the present, Shadow now looked down upon the now lifeless planet. He continued to watch as the black arms, complete in their mission, return to the skies from whence they came.

Shadow did not mind serving Black Doom, but spending time alone can bring lots of questions to one's mind. He wondered, as he often did, when Black Doom_ will_ tell him about his past. "I must ask him again, for I must know who I am."

The jets on his feet flew him up toward the one he served. As he approached Black Doom, he asked the questions he had been pondering while in the vastness of space, "Master, I've been wondering, how is it you knew me when we first met? And why was I in suspended animation when you did?"

The Black Doom turned toward the black and red hedgehog, "Always with these questions Shadow. All that should concern you is that you retrieve the Chaos Emeralds as promised. For the day of reckoning will soon be here. All shall be revealed to you Shadow once I find that of which I desire….Now go and bring them to me!"

Shadow flew out towards space in his search once more. But he couldn't help ponder his conversation with the Black Doom.

"If he says he knows the truth about who I am, then like it or not, I have to believe him. The only way I'm going to get the secrets to my past is to get those Chaos Emeralds!"

*to be continued….

**Thanks for reading, and I promise it'll get better in the chapters to come. Please read chapter 2 and let me know if I should continue this story or not. **


	2. Chapter 2 Friend or Foe

**The Origin of Shadow the Hedgehog**

Chapter 2

"Friend or Foe"

Shadow continued traveling the galaxy searching for the Chaos Emeralds. "I will continue in my search until I find what my master has requested. Only then, will I learn the truth of my existence. How long has it been, how many weeks, months, have I been unsuccessful? I will stop at nothing till I find what Black Doom needs so that I may finally learn the truth!"

Meanwhile, he was not the only one searching. Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist with an IQ of 300, was plotting to take over the world and his plans for the ultimate utopia, Eggmanland, were in full swing. He had sent out his robots in search for the Chaos Emeralds for with their power, he could finally built his Eggman empire and take over the world. He had been watching the destruction of the Black Arms from his grandiose telescope and was working on a force field that would protect his city, Robotropolis, if ever they would invade. "If only I could learn of their whereabouts and plans," Eggman thought to himself, "but how?"

Shadow finally came across a blue and green planet. "Never with my service to Black Doom have I ever come across a planet with such force. Truly, this is a world of true power and life. There must be Chaos Emeralds here."

He was ready to give the signal when he felt a strange feeling rushing over him, "What is this incredible sense that I've been here before? But how could that be? I must investigate this further." He flew in closer for a better look.

Shadow landed on the ground and looked around him. He found himself standing in the middle of a lush forest. Shadow walked along a dirt path layered in fallen leaves of many vibrant shades of red orange and yellow. As he walked, he looked up at the many different types of trees that grew there. "Never before in all my travels, have I seen a planet with such life. Why is it I can't help but shake the tremendous feeling that I've been here before?"

As he came to the end of the forest, a strange shaped Dome loomed in the distance. "Odd artificial structure, I wonder what sort of strange creature built that?" He walked closer to get a better look.

As he approached the peculiar city, Eggman's spies were watching his outline on the screen. "Professor, someone is approaching." One of Eggman's' robots exclaimed.

"Let me see that!" Eggman shoved the robot out of the way. He looked at the small screen that showed an outline of a hedgehog coming towards the building. He began jumping up and down. "Hoo boy, it looks like our friend Sonic has come to pay us a visit.

"But master, I thought Sonic was our enemy."

"Of course he is you fumbling trashcan, now go out there and meet our guest, and don't forget to bring him this." He handed the robot a chili dog with a fuse sticking out of one end. "Give it to him as a peace offering; he ought to get a big bang out of it. Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho." Eggman laughed and went back to the screen.

"Right away." The robot saluted and sped out the building down the platform toward Shadow.

As Shadow walked through the odd looking city, he was met by a large square shaped robot riding on only one wheel. "What strange creature is this?" Shadow asked himself as Eggman's robot approached him.

"You there," Shadow demanded, "can you tell me where I am?"

The robot spoke in monotone, "The doctor wanted me to give you this Sonic, as a peace offering." It handed Shadow the chili dog bomb.

Shadow took the offering, "What is it? And why did you refer to me as…Sonic?" The robot moved away just as the dog exploded. BOOM!

"Woo Hoo!" Eggman hollered and jumped in the air again while watching the chili dog go off in Shadows' face.

As the smoke cleared, Shadow stood there with a surprised expression of his face. He was covered in chili and ashes. He glared at the robot and raised his arms. He lowered them quickly letting out a sonic boom that shook the ground and disintegrated the robot.

Eggman was knocked off his feet. "OOF!" he lay on the floor for a minute before yelling at his other robots. "Don't just stand there you nincompoops, help me to my feet!" His robots obeyed his command and brought the oversized scientist upright again. Robotnik looked again at the screen. Shadow was moving quickly through the city.

"Robots, don't let Sonic enter the building! Shoot him with everything you've got!" Eggman shouted out his orders and then went back to the screen.

He watched laser after laser fire down at the approaching hedgehog who dodged every last one of them. "Boy Sonic," Eggman said to himself, "where's your sense of humor? I thought you liked chili dogs, Ho Ho Ho."

"Fools," Shadow thought as he approached the building where Dr. Robotnik was watching him, "do they not realize who I am? But then again, I don't even know who I am. Who am I….and why do I feel that I've been here before?" Shadow forgot where he was for a moment and one of the robots shot him with a tazer gun that left him immobilized for a minute. Shadow felt no pain but his mind had temporarily shut down. When he gained consciousness again, he was kneeling in front of a large bald man wearing a red lab coat and a ridiculously large orange mustache.

"So nice of you to pay me a visit Sonic, but no need to bow, Ho Ho Ho." Eggman laughed.

Shadow stood to face his foe. He could have easily destroyed this man but there was something about him that reminded him of someone else. But who, Shadow just couldn't recall.

Eggman realizing his mistake stumbled backwards almost falling. "What is this?" he sputtered out, "You're not Sonic! Who are you?" he demanded, "Why are you here?"

How often has Shadow asked himself those very questions? "I…I am Shadow the hedgehog. I am on a mission to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds for my master."

Eggman's' face lit up when he heard those words, "And who is your master?"

"I serve Black Doom." But why do I serve him? Shadow asked himself.

A light bulb came on in the wicked scientists mind, "Black Doom", he thought to himself, "If he serves Black Doom, perhaps this creature who resembles Sonic can help me not only find the Chaos Emeralds, but also learn about Black Dooms plans."

Eggman slowly stepped toward Shadow and bowed dramatically, "I am Dr. Ivo Robotnik, and this," he spread his arms wide, "is my Robotropolis."

Shadow looked around the doctor. Structures of steel and chrome surrounded them. Shadow felt that somehow he once knew a scientist, but why? Shadow looked again upon Dr. Robotnik, "When that robot of yours first saw me, he called me by the name Sonic, and when you first saw me, you also referred to me by that same name. Who is this Sonic and why were you trying so hard to destroy him?"

The evil wheels in Eggman's mind never stop spinning. "Sonic? He is a menace to society. A rotten little scoundrel who wants nothing more than to destroy every good invention I create."

"Inventions?" Shadow was curious, "What sort of inventions?"

"Come with me to my laboratory and I'll show you."

Shadow followed the doctor into a large building made of chrome and shaped like a sphere. As they were entering the building, one of Eggman's robot glided up to him, "Are you sure he can be trusted master?"

"No," Eggman whispered back, "But perhaps I can trick him into being on our side." Eggman walked over to a wall and placed his hand on a platform that glowed from his touch. He then proceeded to put his face up to a machine that scanned his eye. Then he spoke into a mike, "Dr. Ivo Robotnik." A large door opened and they continued inside.

Shadow looked around the room and couldn't shake the familiar feeling this room possessed.

"Pretty impressive isn't it." Modestly was lost with the doctor. As Shadow continued to look around, the doctor thought, "This hedgehog knows of Black Doom's plans and where the Chaos Emeralds are and I'm going to find out."

"So, tell me about yourself Shadow, where do you come from."

"I…do not know where I come from. My past is a mystery to me. Yet, this laboratory seems so familiar. You wouldn't have perhaps created a device that could unlock hidden memories?"

Eggman thought for a moment, and then lead him to a large room with no windows. He shows him a large helmet with wires and gauges coming out of it. "I made this encephalon memory enhancer just in case I forgot the password to my home computer. I once spent six hours typing in every word I could think of, and then I remembered I had the password written down on the back of the computer. D'oh!"

He placed the helmet in Shadows' hands eagerly. "Now, if you'll just place this on your head Shadow, the room will be filled with any memory you wish to recall."

"Can…can it reveal…everything?" Shadow asked wondering if he really wanted to see it all.

"If that's what you wish Shadow," Eggman began pushing some buttons, "Just place it on your head and soon, the room will be filled with all the images of your past."

Shadow looked it over carefully, "Can I trust this person?" Shadow thought to himself, "Will it truly reveal my past to me?" He glanced once more at the man with uncanny resemblance to someone locked deep inside his mind. He finally decided to give it a chance and placed it on his head.

Eggman flipped a switch on the enhancer. The lights in the room flashed off and on several times before staying on. Around the room was nothing but space and odd looking shapes.

"Where, where have you taken me?" Shadow looked around the room and was suddenly uncomfortable.

"We've entered your mind." Eggman looked around with a confused look on his face. "Strange, it's not… as I expected. Your whole life should be here, your accomplishments, your successes, your failures. But instead, we find only emptiness, darkness, a void."

"My life is serving Black Doom. I am nothing else." Shadow felt great despair. Where were his memories? Were they gone forever?

"Serving Black Doom?" Eggman was upset, why did it not work? "I have no desire to serve anyone. I want the secrets of the universe. I need to know your master's weaknesses. I want the Chaos Emeralds so that I may control him and gain the secrets he possesses."

Shadow laughed, but it was a sad laugh. "Do you not understand? Black Doom can never be controlled. Even if every being, every power in the universe came together for that very purpose, even then they will fail!"

But Eggman does not give up easily, "He can not be invincible. He is not a GOD! The answer is here, it must be here!" He walked around the room of Shadow's mind and finally came across a large sphere that glowed from the inside. A strange alien lock surrounded it. "Might this be your past perhaps? Mountains of memories, hidden from you, locked away like a secret treasure?" I must know his plans, I must know it all. I will possess that treasure! He ran over to a control panel and began pushing more buttons.

The helmet began glowing and shooting out sparks of electricity. "NO! ARRGGHHH…You must stop! I have… no… answers!" Shadows' head was spinning. He put his hands to his head. Part of him wanted desperately to know of his past, but he also secretly feared it.

"But this is where the truth lays Shadow. Do you not want to be set free?"

"I…AM… AFRA…AARRGGGHHH!" Shadow put his hands to his head. The room began shaking as if struck by an earthquake, and everything in the room began spinning. Eggman fell to the ground. The sphere began spinning and glowing more vibrantly. There was a great flash of light. The ground stopped shaking and everything in the room fell to the floor with a loud crash. The sphere broke in half and images began flooding the room. Almost as if watching a movie on an invisible screen, Shadows' past was finally revealed to him.

A scientist who closely resembles Eggman appears. He is speaking to a young girl with long blond hair and big blue eyes. She is wearing a dress the same color as her eyes, "Look Maria….I have done it, I have created the Ultimate Life form. It will take the place of so many soldiers. Just think how many lives it could save." The scientist and the young girl were both looking at a very familiar black and red hedgehog floating in a clear liquid cylinder.

Shadow and Eggman both realized that the familiar hedgehog looked just like Shadow. "No, it can not be, it that hedgehog really…me?"

"You did it grandfather, you did it!" the young girl was hugging the scientist.

The scene changed to both Shadow and Maria staring off into space behind a very large window. They both appeared to be inside some sort of space station.

Shadow in the movie was speaking to her, "Think of the courage our ancestors must have had Maria, to travel out into the universe, to soar out into the unknown."

"I know you have always wanted to go Shadow," Maria said, putting her hand on the hedgehog's shoulder, "but your place is here. Grandfather says that you were created to bring peace to the world, a world that I may never visit again."

They both stared down upon a green and blue planet almost perfectly round floating in space. "I remember it Shadow. I remember being there before I got sick. It was so pretty and green, so full of life, so many trees. Flowers of every color and fragrance, water so clear and fresh. How I wish I could visit it, just once more." Maria looked longely down at the planet below.

Shadow looked at Maria and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, "If the government approves of you Shadow, then innocent people will not have to die."

Today's' Shadow stared at the scene taking place before his eyes. "So, that _is _me," Shadow said, "and that's…Maria!" Suddenly, he remembered her, "Maria was my friend…No…she was more than that. She was…family….like, like a sister to me."

"AAAARRGGHHH!" Shadow grabbed his head as the scene changed once more. This time revealing dozens of government troops running into the space station, destroying everything in sight.

The scientist had run up to Shadow and Maria with a frantic look on his face.

"Grandfather," Maria cried sensing the danger, "what's wrong? What's going on?"

"Shadow," the professor put a hand on Shadow's shoulder, quite out of breath, "we must hurry, there's very little time!" they ran over to the escape pod. "I thought I would have more time, but they're here, they're here!"

"Who's here grandfather? Please, who's here?" Maria questioned the rushing scientist.

"The government feels that project Shadow is a threat to mankind and wants to shut it down. They're here now and they're planning on destroying everything." The professor turned a key and a shield went up. He pushed Maria inside the escape pod.

"No!" Maria protested, "All you have worked for grandfather. Surely it can't all be destroyed! We must stay and fight!"

"No Maria, we are about peace, not war. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do! This is the only way we can survive! The only way the plan can be carried through! We will travel out into space, and when the time is right, we will begin again." He motioned Shadow to join her. "Listen Shadow, out of all my creations, you have been my favorite. I have considered you… a son. Now go my son, it is up to you now."

"No master, I…" Shadow tried to argue.

The professor was persistent, "Shadow, this is what you've always wanted, to explore the galaxies, the universe."

"But not like this master, not like this!" Shadow reluctantly stepped inside.

The professor ran over to another control panel and began pushing buttons. The pod began revving up.

"Shadow, if I somehow fail to join you; it will be your task to spread the word, to care for Maria, and to bring peace…" but his words were silenced when the door was broken down.

Soldiers stormed into the room, destroying everything in sight. Two soldiers ran over and grabbed the professor, before he could step into the space pod. "Professor Gerald Robotnik," the soldier ordered, "your experiments have proven to be unsafe and unsatisfactory and a threat to mankind. By orders of the U.S. government, you're under arrest." He tried fighting them off but one hit him over the head with the butt of his gun.

Maria stepped out of the space pod just as the shield went back down. She ran to him, "Grandfather, no!"

One of the rooky soldiers was taken off guard and fired one round from his rifle hitting Maria in the stomach.

"MARIA…!" Shadow yelled from inside the pod. The two soldiers pulled the professor from the room. Others shot at Shadow but he was protected by the shield. The room was filled with explosions and the ceiling began falling down so the soldiers escaped leaving a gravely wounded Maria and a helpless Shadow.

Shadow tried to look for an escape switch but found none. He pounded on the glass to no prevail.

Maria crawled over to the control panel that would shoot the pod out into space. As she was about to push the button, she looked into Shadow's eyes one last time, "Go Shadow, you're our only hope to continue my grandfathers' wish, to put an end to death and bring peace to the world. I believe in you Shadow, whatever happens, we will be together again someday."

Shadow watched helplessly as Maria pushed the button. Everything around them began falling down. The whole place was being slowly destroyed and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"MARIA!" he shouted as his pod took off into space. He could do nothing but watch as the space station exploded in millions of pieces.

The Shadow of today began punching at the images around him. "NO! NO! Make it stop, make it stop! I should have done something, I should have done something! I don't wish to see anymore!" He raised his arms and lowered them causing everything around him to explode. He threw the now worthless gizmo from his head and flew up towards the ceiling. Breaking through, he flew off to space.

Eggman's robots pulled the rubble off their master. They helped a bedazzled scientist to his feet. As Eggman brushed himself off he looked around at his laboratory now in complete ruin. He rubbed his head, "Professor Gerald Robotnik… my grandfather created that creature? And I still did not find out what I desired, but you won't see the last of me Shadow the hedgehog." He looked at the remaining robots, "Don't just stand there you dumbots, clean this mess up!" he ordered and left the room.

Shadow flew off over the mountain tops, "So many memories, yet as quickly as they appear, they vanish, returning to their prison inside my own mind. I must find Black Doom. For now I know that my master has stolen my past, my life, my family….Maria. He hid it from me, but why?" He looked down upon the planet that now had a new meaning for him. "I will protect this world and make sure Black Doom does not find it."

Unfortunately, he found Black Doom hovering over the very planet he just left. "Black Doom!" he shouted.

"I was wondering what kept you so long Shadow, I thought perhaps you had betrayed me, but I will let it go, this time. For I am well pleased, you have found a planet with more life force I have ever felt before."

A sinister laugh breaks out over the universe as Black Doom and his Black Arms make their way toward the blue and green planet…. Mobius.

*to be continued


End file.
